– by Andreas Rinke and Sakura Murakami
Hiroshima (Reuters) – It looks like an alliance of those who didn’t get there: In any case, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are increasingly acting as advocates for the interests of the South at the G7.
Just a few days before the start of the meeting in Hiroshima, Japan, Scholz had written in his partners’ register that “Western double standards” could no longer be afforded. Without Scholz pronouncing the names of the countries, this is aimed at the USA, for example: Because a reform of the UN Security Council, which still reflects the structure at the end of the Second World War, fails both because of the veto powers China and Russia, but also because of the United States states.
On the other hand, the interests of the industrial nations Germany and Japan have coincided with those of the large emerging countries Brazil and India for decades: All four are finally demanding representation commensurate with their status, for example in the UN Security Council. And with South Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia, the next growing states have long been knocking on the door of the highest UN body – without the five veto powers in the Security Council moving in any way.
Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, the pressure has increased enormously: Scholz and Kishida in particular are now trying much harder than other G7 heads of government to integrate the interests of the so-called global South – among other things to prevent the emerging countries from falling into the camp of Russia and China drift off One should not be surprised if these states do not join Western demands for a position against Russia, if at the same time they are not offered any contacts on an equal footing, Scholz warns.
Russia and China have been happily exploiting this for months. In many developing countries there are traditionally close contacts with these states from the time of the struggle against colonial powers such as Great Britain or France. Scholz also warns that they completely underestimate how bad the painful experiences of the colonial past still are in the southern hemisphere. “We must face up to the demands if we want to encourage the powers in Asia, Africa and America to work with us to build and defend a stable world order,” warned the Chancellor. “Part of the double standard has to do with the fact that the West is often willing to make demands on developing countries, but refuses to give them the same status or listen to their demands,” criticizes Amrita Narlikar, head of Hamburger Think tank giga. “The reform of international institutions is an essential part of solving this problem of double standards.”
In order to at least show more attention, the chancellor has already traveled to Africa twice during his short term in office. He also invited so-called outreach countries such as India, South Africa, Indonesia and Argentina to the G7 summit in Elmau. Kishida does it in a similar way: He also travels frequently to emerging countries and wants to bring guest states like India to Hiroshima on Saturday in three sessions of the G7 leaders.
Because Japan’s Prime Minister also sees himself as a bridge builder. “Many countries in the so-called Global South are hurt and suffering from high food and energy prices,” he said during a visit to Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, in early May. He also campaigned for understanding and solidarity at the same time. Due to the geographical location, however, Kishida is looking more at possible allies against China. In early 2023, Tokyo announced new security aid to provide military equipment to states, initially in Southeast Asia. In fact, the Australian government sees Japan in a mediating role with the Pacific states because, unlike the US or Australia, it has not criticized the sometimes difficult human rights situation on the islands, says a Japanese government source.
However, not everyone believes that the “hug” of Berlin and Tokyo is enough. “More room for the partner countries at the G7 summit is just a start,” warns Joern Kalinksi of the non-governmental organization Oxfam. Due to its own fault, Germany is not perceived as positively as the federal government would like it to be. “Important opportunities have been missed in the past: one of the biggest was Germany’s staunch refusal to advocate a temporary suspension of patent rights to the production of Covid-19 drugs,” he told Reuters.
Giga boss Narlikar is also critical: she doesn’t believe that Germany is more trustworthy because of the long ago colonial era. And the federal government also has its double standards: “If a big market like China breaks or bends the rules, Germany doesn’t have a big problem with it in practice. But Germany is ready to point the finger when it comes to less powerful countries. ” That’s not good news for developing countries, she says.
Of course, the reform of the international institutions must definitely be on the agenda of the G7 and G20, she believes. “But it won’t be easy to find support for it – especially among the five veto powers in the UN Security Council.”
(Edited by Ralf Bode. If you have any questions, please contact our editorial team at [email protected] (for politics and the economy) or [email protected] (for companies and markets).)